AFN 873 transmitter closing May 31

MikeBr · 22/05/13 - 03:47

AFN Europe, in coordination with IMCOM Europe and USAREUR, is turning off its 873 AM radio transmitter in Central Germany May 31, as part of the Department of Defense’s ongoing efforts to reduce operating costs.
http://www.afneurope.net/Headline/tabid/2098/Default.aspx?aid=28284

Used to listen to this transmitter back in the 60s, could get Bremerhaven daytime, 873 the better one at night.

BMR · 22/05/13 - 04:18

I remember listening to American Top 40 on this, very late on a Saturday night. Opened my eyes to quite a lot of music not played on Radio One/ ILR very much

PDMB · 22/05/13 - 04:42

Remember hearing American Football /Baseball Commentaries on 873- provided an enjoyable contrast in tone and style if a soccer match was live on 909 next door.

Radio Norfolk will be a winner here- should mean less night-time interferance for those in who listen to the BBC local on AM in the West of the county.

FmBandScan · 22/05/13 - 04:47

Anyone know what time they are closing down the transmitter? I guess this is why the audio quality sounds rather distorted now?

Hertz · 22/05/13 - 07:24

Do they have an internet stream ? I tried searching for it on my Pure evoke flow but found nothing.

Still, more sad news.

hanssolo · 22/05/13 - 11:17

Clicking on the link Mike gave, then radio tab, shows AFN 360 internet, but it seems to be geolocked and for Germany only?

PDMB wrote: »

Radio Norfolk will be a winner here- should mean less night-time interferance for those in who listen to the BBC local on AM in the West of the county.

These are also under review by the BBC trust for potential closedown

JELLIES0 · 22/05/13 - 13:28

Grrr sorry tom see this one go. I have fond memories of listening to Wolfman Jack on this station in the sixties.
I can't generate any enthusiasm for BBC Radio Chipping Sodbury or whatever it is, sorry.

Robbie01 · 22/05/13 - 15:16

I've not been able to pick up AFN on 873 for a few years. I assume they reduced the power a few years ago? I live on the north east coast and at one time the signal used to be very strong.

I used to listen to AFN all the time on a night back in the late 70s and early 80s. Like BMR I used to listen to Casey Kasem counting down the American Top 40 early hours on a Saturday plus also Bob Kingsley presenting the Country Top 40 on a Saturday night. And Wolfman Jack and Dr Demento every weekday night too!

Jack-UK · 22/05/13 - 16:26

Does this mean France Bleu on 864 will come in clearer?

FmBandScan · 22/05/13 - 16:50

Jack-UK wrote: »

Does this mean France Bleu on 864 will come in clearer?

Should do mate, less interference on the channel so the chirping sound shouldn't be there! And you might be able to get BBC Radio Norfolk at night now!

ACL777 · 22/05/13 - 16:59

873 used to be a three way battle at night between AFN, radio Norfolk and radio Rossil.

JELLIES0 · 22/05/13 - 21:10

ACL777 wrote: »

873 used to be a three way battle at night between AFN, radio Norfolk and radio Rossil.

BBC Radio Wales on 882 causes interference here. Things improved a short while ago when AFN increased their signal strength, which makes it even more surprising that they are now going off air.

LaurelandHardy · 22/05/13 - 21:32

Hertz wrote: »

Do they have an internet stream ? I tried searching for it on my Pure evoke flow but found nothing.

I don't think there is an internet stream for AFN.
More's the pity.

FmBandScan · 22/05/13 - 22:03

JELLIES0 wrote: »

BBC Radio Wales on 882 causes interference here. Things improved a short while ago when AFN increased their signal strength, which makes it even more surprising that they are now going off air.

Reports are that the transmitter was just refurbished too, I am surprised they didn't just close the 1107 and 1143 transmitters!

AngusMast · 22/05/13 - 23:43

I listened to Rush Limbaugh a few times on there way back in the 90s. Of course, the reception was hit and miss.

darnall42 · 23/05/13 - 00:01

sad to see it go,still get a fairly decent signal after dark on 873 khz (was listening to a NPR radio show the other night )

BMR · 23/05/13 - 00:47

PDMB wrote: »

Radio Norfolk will be a winner here- should mean less night-time interferance for those in who listen to the BBC local on AM in the West of the county.

I'm amazed they put those two co-channel, given the sea path from Germany to Norfolk.

But yes, Radio Norfolk AM is likely to close soon as well. AM is dying.

Juan Carlos Ara · 23/05/13 - 21:53

hanssolo wrote: »

Clicking on the link Mike gave, then radio tab, shows AFN 360 internet, but it seems to be geolocked and for Germany only?

These are also under review by the BBC trust for potential closedown

AFN360 online is only heard on european countries with american military bases. It can be heard in Spain.

Since a couple of weeks, AFN360 could be heard on Eurobird 9A satellite. but now it has been also axed from satellite.

ACL777 · 23/05/13 - 23:29

BMR wrote: »

I'm amazed they put those two co-channel, given the sea path from Germany to Norfolk.

But yes, Radio Norfolk AM is likely to close soon as well. AM is dying.

Is Norfolk closing on both 855 and 873. Have they set a time frame? As somebody who's only really interested in transatlantic Dx on MW all these closures will be quite helpful. I just wish a few more high power Europeans would switch off.

BMR · 24/05/13 - 01:07

I think so far we have only had the five week trial.

http://radiotoday.co.uk/2012/08/bbc-local-radio-starts-switching-off-am/

MikeBr · 31/05/13 - 16:14

Short recording on YouTube of 873 at 0510 yesterday with an insert mentioning its history, if the closedown is posted later I'll put the link here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXftEbpV2Ds

A.N.Other · 31/05/13 - 19:44

http://mediumwave.info/news.html says 1400UTC so we'll miss the skywave for shutdown. Shame. I was in central Germany earlier this year, 873 is a stonking signal compared with the peashooters on 1107 and 1143.

MikeBr · 31/05/13 - 20:35

They shutdown early at 1312 UTC:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysbTS3C3LGA

News item about shutdown of AM with recording of the AFN commander closing it in the 1400 news recorded from 98.7 FM:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cD_BXBc1xe0

A.N.Other · 01/06/13 - 03:16

It must be a first to pull the plug when the "many of our regular listeners" would be affected in contrast to other MW shutdowns with few ears left listening.

The person who 'pushed the button' sure does a heck of a lot of appreciatin' Not sure if many of our regular listeners were also apprecatin' or that the "360" option could possibly fill the gap in a yet not well connected data world.

FmBandScan · 01/06/13 - 03:47

Sucks because AFN 360 doesn't even cover what AFN 873 did, and I used to be able to get 873 every night, I can't listen to AFN 360! :mad:

Terranus · 01/06/13 - 04:50

FmBandScan wrote: »

Reports are that the transmitter was just refurbished too, I am surprised they didn't just close the 1107 and 1143 transmitters!

The transmitter was not just refurbished, but a brandnew 150kW Nautel unit was installed. The shutdown came as a big surprise - the transmitter simply is one of the victims of the so called "sequester". It was the most expensive of all AM stations, so it had to go...

Hey there!

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AFN 873 transmitter closing May 31

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